Road of Trials
by Saddened Namine
Summary: What happened after Riku and the King were shut inside of Kingdom Hearts? When'd they get out? A few flashbacks, but it'll get right to the point... One-shot, slight Soriku.


**Kingdom Hearts**

_Road of Trials_

By Saddened Naminé

* * *

Platinum-colored hair shimmered in the oncoming rain, that black cloak of his blowing in the rhythm of the wind. He stood near the edge of a cliff and watched the large Castle from where he stood.

The sky above him was dark with the blackness of storms, lightning flashing and thunder crashing as it sent a message to all those who understood. _He_ understood this message.

_Evil… Impending danger…_

His eyes were closed the entire time, although he did feel as if he could see through his own eyelids. A memory came to him as he stood there in the rains of sadness.

**-- Flash Back --**

_A young boy stood there at the large white doors, the Doors to Light. His spiky, yet bouncy, brown hair shined in the dim light of the area as he attempted to push the slightly open door. He knew it was the end of the world; they both knew, but they kept trying._

_The boy with long silver hair stood on the other side of the door, trying to pull the large door closed. Those sea green eyes of his were narrow as he used all his strength in doing this job._

_Why was he on the other side of the door? Well, that was quite an easy question, considering that he put himself in this position the minute he accepted the Path to Darkness._

_He wore a tight sleeveless shirt that was yellow on the front with a large black X, while the back was pure black. His pants were long and baggy, but he tied something around his ankles so the pants would not overflow beyond to his shoes._

_He looked to the brunette on the other side of the door, grinning slightly. The younger boy's name was Sora, and he had taken the Path to Light. The two were fated to be enemies, but they beat Destiny at its own game and stayed friends to the end, or rather, **this** end._

_Once he and Sora finally got the door to automatically start shutting itself, he turned his head to look through the slowly closing crack between the two doors. His smile was sincere as he spoke._

"_Take care of her…"_

_He was referring to the girl the two of them had sought to protect, a girl named Kairi, who was otherwise known as the Princess of Heart in a world called Hollow Bastion. Although he did at one time love her, he knew that fate was against him there as well. Sora was meant to be with Kairi, not him, and he was just fine with that._

_The door completely closed and it began to disappear into fragments of light, never to be found there again._

_He would smile to himself, thinking of how ironic it was that the door was known as the Door to Light and how him and the King of Disney Castle were now stuck in the World of Darkness. He turned around, unsheathing his bat-winged Keyblade known as the SoulEater. He grinned at his new partner, King Mickey, as their next enemy appeared. He didn't know it at the time, but this was **just** the beginning._

**-- End of Flash Back --**

He took a deep breath, sighing at that memory of the last time he'd seen his best friend. How long had it been now, a year maybe? He didn't really know, but then again, he didn't really care either. All he knew was that he needed to find Sora again, before something bad happened.

He knew of what could happen now that he'd escaped the Darkness of Kingdom Hearts, and it was not a good thing. Something had come out of that evil place when he and the King had finally made their getaway. He didn't know what it was, but since he had once been a part of the Darkness itself, he knew it would go after Sora.

**-- Flash Back --**

_It had been mere months since he and King Mickey Mouse escaped the Darkness of Oblivion inside Kingdom Hearts, and they were not in much of a better position than when they had been in there!_

_Mysterious people and creatures would come after them, so they were always on the run. The silver-haired teen finally came up with a solution to this problem; they'd have to join the Twilight before anything else could happen._

_It was then that they found the group called the Organization with people who were known as the Unknowns. He figured that they could help him and the King, so the two of them joined the Organization. Things did come in handy at times, however, they were informed about a certain member who went by the name Axel._

_He was also able to get enough information to find out that Axel was after Sora for some reason, but that reason was totally beyond what he could find. Another Unknown was able to befriend him and help with whatever came up. Although, his name was a mystery, the silver-haired teen merely brushed away the thought that he didn't know what to call his new friend._

_This new friend reminded him a lot of Sora; they looked very much alike. Except for the fact that this Unknown had messy blonde hair instead of brown like the Kingdom Keyblade Master. He often mistook him for Sora, but was easily forgiven for his mistake._

_As he stuck closer to the Organization, he began to receive more and more information on this 'Axel' character. He was after Sora for one reason, and one reason only, to rid himself of his Light. It seemed to him that somehow he knew Sora, but it was strange, considering that Sora never mentioned him._

_The silver-haired teen knew what he had to do; he had to leave on a journey to find Sora and warn him of Axel's plans. If he didn't, then Sora would surely die if Axel got his hands on him! He decided on this right away, leaving the King there in the safe and capable hands of the Organization. His Unknown friend, of whom he came to call BHK, had gone to follow along with him in his search. Though he didn't think he'd need, or even **want** BHK's help, he allowed the boy to come along. However, they almost immediately went their separate ways to look for Sora._

**-- End of Flash Back --**

Remembering things that happened in the past was one of his favorite things to do, especially when they involved Sora or Kairi. Since he was no longer with them, though, he knew that to have more happy memories in the future, he'd have to find them both again. One way or another, he _would_ do it! He had the confidence in himself, and he had the will power to find them.

He held something in his right hand, a long cloth that blew in the wind with the black cloak that symbolized his loyalty to the Organization of Unknowns. He brought it up to his face, tying it around his head so that he could conceal those once bright sea green eyes. Until he could find his Light again, he couldn't bring himself to take off this blindfold. He was tainted with the Darkness that he was forced to take and would not take any chances with it again.

He turned around to walk down the narrow pathway that lead from the top of that cliff to the bottom where the fork in the road lay. He looked down at the three roads he was to choose from where he stood, opening his mouth to speak to no one in particular.

"The Path to Darkness… and the Path to the Light… I shall take neither…"

He walked down the pathway, reaching the fork of paths. He smirked as he walked quietly down the middle road, taking notice to the person who stared after him in the shadows of the cliff.

"You've chosen well… Taking the middle road to Twilight."

"No…" he said, turning his head slightly so that he could speak to the man, "I'm taking this road… The road to Dawn."

* * *

It had been a long time since that day he'd chosen the Road to Twilight, but he'd finally reached another new place. It was called Traverse Town, and he'd been there before. Whichever road you chose, Dark, Light, or Twilight, you would always wind up here at _some_ point in time.

He walked into the local Accessory Shop, stopping in the doorway, only to stare at something he found completely and utterly surprising.

There, sitting at one of the chairs by the counter, was the one he'd been searching for all this time. He couldn't believe it, but it was actually Sora!

"S-Sora…" he stuttered, his eyes still hidden under that blindfold.

Yes, it was quite strange that he could see with it covering his eyes, but he was very skilled. He could hear his best friend take a sharp in take of breath upon noticing him.

"R-Riku?"

He held a hand up behind his head, untying the blindfold. He let the cloth fall to the floor, and also allowed his sea green eyes to reopen and see the world after a year of being hidden. The first thing those evening ocean-colored hues saw was the bouncy-haired brunette they'd longed to see for such a long time.

"I can't believe it… I finally found you…" the platinum-haired teen spoke quietly, unable to take his eyes off of his long-time best friend.

He walked forward, stepping on the blindfold as he did so. Approaching the Kingdom Keyblade Master, he held out his hand to take his Silver Crown Necklace into it. It was then that he did something he hadn't done for a very long time; he smiled.

"You still have it…?"

"Of course, I'd never take it off." Sora replied, brilliant blue eyes still wide in surprise, "Riku… What are you doing here?"

Riku closed his eyes for a moment, letting go of the necklace and placing his right hand on Sora's left shoulder. He looked his friend in the eye as he spoke.

"I came… to warn you."

"Warn me? About what?"

"Beware of a man with spiky red hair, Sora… He goes by the name Axel, and he's decided to come after you, of all people."

"Me? Why me?" the young boy asked as surprised as he was earlier.

"I don't know… He's quite hard to understand, but I'm telling you, just steer clear of him, all right?" Riku explained with a serious look and a frown. He then lightened his face and smiled softly, "I'd rather see you alive and well than dead and gone."

Sora nodded in agreement; Riku's work was done here. He turned around, walking toward the door.

"Wait, Riku! Where are you going? Why are you leaving so soon?"

Riku stopped for a moment, speaking just loud enough for his friend to hear.

"We'll meet again… I promise…"

With that said, he continued out of the Accessory Shop and walked right out of Town. He smiled as he realized, he'd left his blindfold behind. At least now, Sora had something else of his to hold onto for hope that they'd see each other again someday.


End file.
